In law enforcement and military operations, there is a need for a versatile suspension system for carrying a handgun in a holster along with any one or more of a variety of accessory pouches or tactical items. In the past, this has resulted in making compromises to attempt to match the specific tactical need. Often, the need may be only recognized as the tactical situation develops. For example, an officer may be called upon to employ either a handgun or a long gun, rifle or shotgun, and needs to have the appropriate magazine pouch for the weapon used or a pouch accommodating shotgun shells or a distraction or xe2x80x9cbangxe2x80x9d round. Sometimes the tactical situation requires the use of an agent, such as mace to temporarily disable an aggressor. Each of these separate types of projectiles or tactical items need their own special pouch to assure safe, precise and silent carrying of their contents and most important, immediate access when the need arises.
Likewise, the tactical situation may require that different handguns may be needed and that each of the special rounds for each weapon must be conveniently located for the user and rapidly interchanged. It is not desirable to carry a number of different holsters and to have to attach them to a belt or other carrier during a tactical maneuver. Therefore, a holster that fits a handgun with a variety of lights is needed.
The assignee of this patent has produced a number of universal handgun holsters which have a broad versatility. Examples are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,558 and its related U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,690,315, 4,815,641, and 4,750,656. Typically, universal-type holsters require some adjustment or modification prior to use. Any such adjustments or modifications under imminent tactical situations are desired in many situations. Therefore, there is a need for a holster which will receive and hold a variety of handguns without modification but with equal security in expected tactical situations.
Since tactical situations often require the officer to wear hard body armor, the use of the officer""s belt for the mounting of the holster and separate accessory pouches, is limited because such arrangement, which is common for duty officers, is restrictive of movement and may interfere with the proper utilization of the body armor. This indicates a need for a separate panel which can carry a holster along with a number of accessory pouches.
The user may need to carry his standard handgun with a lighting device which changes the size and shape of the holster to be carried. It should also be practical to remove and replace the holster and the handgun without delay and without change of the panel. Therefore, a need exists for a tactical rig, which can support a weapon of a particular size with an attached light along with other accessories all suspended from one point on a duty belt or web belt. Such a rig is preferably secured to the wearer""s thigh providing a secure three-point support with no interference with the other gear on the duty belt.
Faced with the above state of the art, we proceeded to develop a tactical rig, which allows flexibility in customizing a rig for each of a large number of missions and to do so in a matter of a few minutes or, in some cases, seconds. The rig is intended to allow the wearer, whether he be police, military or even a sportsman, to attach or replace a variety of pouches or accessories to a unitary thigh-mounted panel with a universally adjustable wrap-around thigh strap and with a single adjustable length belt suspension attachment. There are virtually hundreds of different accessories or pouch combinations possible, which may be attached to the panel, some mounted vertically and others mounted horizontally on the panel.
The panel is configured in a generally triangular shape with rounded apexes to lie on either of the wearer""s thighs. A handgun, securely carried in a holster, is readily available and the holster is securely attached to the panel. The holster and any one of the pouches or accessories which the wearer has selected to be worn are within easy grasp. The wearer may unholster the handgun and have the contents of any of the pouches ready for unloading of their contents for immediate use. This tactical rig and holster illustrated are ambidextrous for added flexibility. Right or left handed-only holsters may, of course, be used with the tactical rig of this invention.
A universal holster, which is designed to receive a handgun, in combination with variety of tactical lights or other accessory, is firmly secured preferably to a central position on the panel in a manner which prevents the holster from flopping up and down during active movements. The central position of the holster places it over the hard surface of the wearer""s thighbone ready for opening the holster and grasping and drawing of the handgun. The panel includes a non-skid under surface which adds to the positive positioning of the handgun and holster for the user. Despite the presence of several pouches or accessories, each securely attached to the panel, the grip of the handgun is exposed. A folded, double latch strap on the holster is immediately accessible for release and easy draw of the handgun.
The particular holsters of the present invention are adaptable to be used with the most commonly tactically used handguns, with tactical lights attached on the barrel or frame, by reason of a double-wrap hook and pile secured wrap-around closure.
The panel is preferred to be in a generally triangular shape with rounded corners, of a semi-rigid, flexible, foam laminate stiffener covered on its underside by a non-skid mesh to prevent slipping on the wearer""s trouser leg. One apex of the generally triangular panel is worn directed upward toward the wearer""s belt, and the other two apexes are wrapped around a leg and secured by straps having either hook and pile or other fastener means. The upper apex includes an adjustable length strap and a belt loop or belt fastener so that the rig may be worn at any desired height between the waist and the wearer""s knee. The central region of the outer surface of the panel member is normally reserved for holster attachment and the remaining areas are available for mounting accessories or pouches.
A series of sturdy web straps are stitched to the panel to define a number of attachment points for accessories or pouches. These may be attached to the panel at the web straps employing suitable attachments such as the proven universal clip of U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,315.
In summary, the panel is the foundation and basic building block for a universal tactical rig, and the holster of this invention is the keystone.